Arduino is an open source physical computing platform for creating interactive objects that stand alone or connect with the Internet. Arduino was initially designed for artists, designers, and others who want to incorporate physical computing into their designs without having to first become electrical engineers. It later became the platform of choice for literally millions of people who wanted to innovate using digital technology.
The Arduino hardware and software is open source. The open source philosophy fosters a community that shares its knowledge generously. This is great for beginners as help is often available geographically nearby and always online, at many different skill levels, and on a bewildering array of topics. Example projects are presented not just as pictures of the finished project, but include instructions for making your own or as a starting point for incorporation into your derivative or related projects.
The Arduino software, known as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), is free. You can download it from www.arduino.cc. The Arduino IDE is based on the Processing language, which was developed to help artists create computer art without having to first become software engineers. The Arduino IDE can run on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The Arduino UNO board is inexpensive (about $23) and quite tolerant of common novice mistakes. If you do somehow manage to damage the main component on the Arduino Uno, it can be replaced for as little as $4.
The Arduino project was developed in an educational environment and is a very popular educational tool. The same open source philosophy that created the community which generously shares information, answers, and projects also shares teaching methods, curricula, and other information.
Because the Arduino hardware and software are open source, you can download the Arduino hardware design and build your own, or use it as a starting point for your own project, based on (or incorporating) Arduino within its design, or simply to understand how Arduino works. You can do the same things with the software.
Arduino is designed to be easy to use, and this book is designed to help beginners with no prior experience get started with Arduino.
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